The present invention relates to cable terminations and more particularly, relates to a cable termination arrangement for terminating strength members in a fiber optic cable.
Armored fiber optic cables often include one or more layers of strength members along the length of the cable to provide tensile strength and prevent damage to the cable. One type of undersea fiber optic cable, for example, includes layers of aramid rods having a high tensile strength to provide a high level of protection. When these cables are connected to structures, such as couplings and joints, the strength members are typically terminated or secured to the structure using a cable termination arrangement. Existing cable termination arrangements are often not strong enough to withstand the high loads applied to the strength members.
One standard termination for strength members, such as aramid rods, uses only epoxy to secure the aramid rods within the coupling or joint. However, the low coefficient of friction between the aramid rods and the epoxy often results in slippage between the aramid rods and the epoxy. As a result, the aramid rod termination must be longer to prevent slippage in this standard termination using only epoxy.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cable termination arrangement for strength members, such as aramid rods, that reduces the overall length of the termination and provides a stronger termination.
One aspect of the present invention is an armored cable comprising a cable, a plurality of strength members extending along and surrounding the cable, and at least one crimping ferrule crimped onto an end of each of the strength members. Each crimping ferrule preferably has a length such that the crimping ferrule has a radial crimp termination strength in the range of the tensile strength of the strength members. In one embodiment, the cable is a fiber optic cable and the strength members are aramid rods.
Another aspect of the present invention is a cable termination arrangement for terminating a cable to a connecting structure. The cable termination arrangement comprises a plurality of strength members extending along and surrounding the cable and a radial termination member terminating an end of each of the strength members. The radial termination members are located in a termination cavity within a load bearing housing. A retaining material is disposed within the termination cavity and surrounds the radial termination members.
The radial termination members are preferably substantially equally spaced within the termination cavity. At least one separator is preferably positioned within the termination cavity for receiving and separating at least some of the radial termination members. In one embodiment, an inner separator and an outer separator are positioned within the termination cavity. The inner separator receives and separates a first group of the radial termination members, and the outer separator receives and separates a second group of the radial termination members.
In one embodiment, the radial termination members are preferably crimping ferrules, the strength members are aramid rods, and the retaining material epoxy. The coefficient of friction between each of the aramid rods and the epoxy is less than the coefficient of friction between each of the aramid rods and each of the crimping ferrules.